10.18.18
The Household & Commercial Products Association (HCPA) is seeking comments on its recently updated general guidance document entitled “Determining Effective Preservation of Consumer, Household and Industrial Products General Guidance.”
This document provides a general guidance on Preservative Efficacy Tests (PET) and factors that a manufacturer should consider when evaluating water‐based Consumer*, Household and Industrial (CH&I) products and their ingredients for preservative effectiveness. Both finished consumer products as well as water‐based raw ingredients may be susceptible to microbial spoilage (bacteria and fungi). Water based CH&I products are at risk for microbial spoilage as they often contain high levels of water and other ingredients which may support microbial growth. Examples of common ingredients include surfactants, dispersants, emulsions, rheology modifiers, enzymes, defoamers etc. It is important for these ingredients to be handled and stored properly, and to be transported under appropriate conditions to minimize introduction of microbes to the final consumer product. Manufacturing conditions and product packaging of finished goods should also be taken into consideration to help reduce the risk of microbial contamination.
The Preservative Efficacy Test (PET) is a tool that measures the effectiveness of preservatives added to finished products and their ingredients. PET studies determine the effective concentration of preservative that is necessary to protect a formulated product from microbial spoilage. Effective preservation maintains product quality and safety; limiting both undesirable aesthetics
and expensive recalls that may cause damage to brand / company reputation and protecting the consumer.
Reviewers will have until Nov. 5, 2018 to submit their comments on the testing protocol to HCPA. For questions or to request a copy of the test method for review, please contact HCPA’s Cleaning Products Division Staff Executive Tim Brown at tbrown@thehcpa.org.
The finalized guidance document will be available for purchase via the HCPA website. In addition, once approved, the guidance document will be included in the HCPA’s Cleaning Products Compendium.
HCPA’s test methods and guidelines are used by those engaged in the formulation, manufacture or marketing of cleaning products. The availability of the test methods and guidelines are the result of a collaborative and consensus research and evaluation process with input from HCPA member companies and the public.
This document provides a general guidance on Preservative Efficacy Tests (PET) and factors that a manufacturer should consider when evaluating water‐based Consumer*, Household and Industrial (CH&I) products and their ingredients for preservative effectiveness. Both finished consumer products as well as water‐based raw ingredients may be susceptible to microbial spoilage (bacteria and fungi). Water based CH&I products are at risk for microbial spoilage as they often contain high levels of water and other ingredients which may support microbial growth. Examples of common ingredients include surfactants, dispersants, emulsions, rheology modifiers, enzymes, defoamers etc. It is important for these ingredients to be handled and stored properly, and to be transported under appropriate conditions to minimize introduction of microbes to the final consumer product. Manufacturing conditions and product packaging of finished goods should also be taken into consideration to help reduce the risk of microbial contamination.
The Preservative Efficacy Test (PET) is a tool that measures the effectiveness of preservatives added to finished products and their ingredients. PET studies determine the effective concentration of preservative that is necessary to protect a formulated product from microbial spoilage. Effective preservation maintains product quality and safety; limiting both undesirable aesthetics
and expensive recalls that may cause damage to brand / company reputation and protecting the consumer.
Reviewers will have until Nov. 5, 2018 to submit their comments on the testing protocol to HCPA. For questions or to request a copy of the test method for review, please contact HCPA’s Cleaning Products Division Staff Executive Tim Brown at tbrown@thehcpa.org.
The finalized guidance document will be available for purchase via the HCPA website. In addition, once approved, the guidance document will be included in the HCPA’s Cleaning Products Compendium.
HCPA’s test methods and guidelines are used by those engaged in the formulation, manufacture or marketing of cleaning products. The availability of the test methods and guidelines are the result of a collaborative and consensus research and evaluation process with input from HCPA member companies and the public.